James and the Winter Solstice
by Demonwolf
Summary: On the night of the winter solstice, James finds himself undertaking yet another incredible journey.
1. The Winter Solstice

**Ch. 1: The Winter Solstice**

_I was originally going to wait until December to post this, but my muse was too insistent. And there is something special about the shortest day of the year. Maybe it's just me, but that feeling is where this story came from. So enjoy, everyone._

The first snow of winter occurred, fittingly enough, on the first day of winter, December 21st. The day before, a Friday, had been the last day of school for the public schools and now the children were free until the new year. And what better way for those children to celebrate than by playing in the deep snow for the whole day?

James was just as excited as the rest of his friends. Like all small children, the first snow day was important to him (even if there wasn't any school to be canceled). And today, the snow seemed extra special.

Perhaps it had to do with the date. Today was, as Mr. Grasshopper had explained to him, the winter solstice.

"Solstice?" James had asked as the two headed to breakfast together.

"Yes, James," Mr. Grasshopper had said. "Today is the first day of winter as well as the shortest day of the year. After tonight, the days start getting longer."

"They do?" Mr. Grasshopper chuckled, placing a hand affectionately on James's shoulder.

"It doesn't seem like it, I know. It takes a while to see the difference. But tonight, you'll be able to tell that the sun won't be out for very long. I believe night will start falling not long after 3:30."

"Really?" James had asked, amazed.

"Oh yes, my boy. And that's not all. I've heard it said that there is something magical about the night of the winter solstice. Keep yours eyes open; you may see something."

Now, slipping into his winter coat, James briefly wondered if he'd see anything out of the ordinary. However, thoughts of snowball fights, building snowmen and snow forts and running about with his friends quickly took over his young mind.

"Here you are, dear," Mrs. Ladybug said, draping a kitted scarf around the child's neck. "Goodness knows I can't have you catching a cold."

"Thanks, Mrs. Ladybug," James replied, smiling as the loving insect gently looped the knitted garment around his neck.

"You're most welcome, James," Mrs. Ladybug replied, drawing her little boy into a four-armed hug. "Have fun outside and feel free to stay out as long as you like."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. There's something about the first snow of the year that seems to give you children boundless energy. So long as you and your friends stay close to the house, I see no problem with you all enjoying yourselves. Of course, I daresay that by the time it gets dark, you'll be ready to come back inside."

"Probably," James agreed. Mrs. Ladybug kissed his cheek.

"Have fun then!"

James darted outside, calling out greetings to his friends. The thick snow enveloped the children's legs, making it hard to run, but that didn't deter any of them. Instead, the group spent the whole day constructing an entire town of snow forts all the while ducking and dodging each other's snow balls. It wasn't until the light began to fade that James and his friends realized how exhausted they wore and all retired gratefully to their warm homes.

And though James didn't know it, he would soon see something very much out of the ordinary.

Something that could only occur on the night of the winter solstice.


	2. Something Peculiar

**Ch. 2: Something Peculiar**

It was dark when James woke up. Dark and quite cold, despite the house's central heating. Clutching his comforter close, James blinked a few times to help his eyes adjust to his shadow-cloaked room. In the dead of night, the only light came from a sliver of moonlight shining through his window, turning familiar furniture and toys into mysterious shapes.

Something about the moon light seemed to beckon the small boy from his bed, almost like something had beckoned him to the peach in whose pit he now resided. Pushing aside his blankets, James slid his feet into the pair of slippers next to his bed and pulled on his brown robe as extra protection from the chilly night air. Padding over to the window, James peered out and gasped.

The whole park was silent and still, covered with a thick blanket of sparkling snow. Not a breath of wind stirred the trees, nor did a single bird flap its wings. And under the moonlight, the snow seemed to sparkle and shine, as though it were made of powdered crystal.

All traces of sleepiness had left James now. Instead, he felt a strange stirring in his soul, a longing to be out in the snow and the moonlight.

James hesitated, then padded over to his bedroom door and cracked it open. Much like Central Park, the house was still. The hallway was pitch black, but that didn't deter the little boy. With a decisive nod, he slipped into the hall, closed his bedroom door and tiptoed toward the stairs. His slippered feet didn't make even a hint of noise and the carpeted stairs didn't so much as creak as he descended to the first floor of the house.

At the bottom of the stairs, James glanced at the direction of the family's Christmas tree. Its light were off, which meant everyone in the family was home and in bed. On the mantel above the fireplace, the small clock chimed softly twelve times.

Midnight. James had only ever been outside at midnight when he had lived with his aunts. He'd been punished for not cleaning the house well enough by being forced to sleep outside and he had curled up against the house in utter terror of what creatures might lurk in the night. But this was different. Outside, the winter night seemed pure, natural, and inviting.

As quietly as he could, James unlocked and opened the front door. He was just stepping outside when it occurred to him that he should have grabbed his boots. But his foot didn't sink into the snow. Instead, the white powder supported his weight and he walked over it as surely as though he were walking on firm ground.

Shutting the door behind him, James walked down the snow-covered path and onto the front lawn. Of course, as the lawn was part of the park, a wide white field stretched out before him, twinkling and shining like diamonds in the moonlight. The air, though cold, was sweet and clean and there wasn't a sound.

_Something _is_ about to happen_, James thought. New York City was never this quiet; surely something magical was afoot here.

A soft crunching sound from behind him caused James to swing around and, for the second time that night, he gasped. Striding out of the trees was beautiful white horse with a silvery mane and tail. The animal regarded James with soft dark eyes that were filled with knowledge and tapped the snow with a glossy brown front hoof.

It would have been beautiful all on its own, but the huge silver wings jutting from its shoulders made the horse even more amazing to behold.

The winged horse took a few more steps toward the small boy and lowered its head. Then, it turned, bearing its back to James and motioned with its head, making it clear that it wanted James to mount him.

Heart racing in amazement and anticipation, James walked up to the horse and placed a hand on its silky back. The horse knelt down on its front legs, making it easier for James to climb up and gently grasp the flowing mane.

"I… I'm ready," James murmured.

The horse snorted, then suddenly galloped forward and James had to seize the mane even tighter to prevent himself from flying off. Then, the huge wings gave a great sweep and both horse and boy were borne aloft into the star-lit sky.


	3. Through the Midnight Sky

**Ch. 3: Through the Midnight Sky**

_Listening to Celtic Woman's version of the song "Walking in the Air" was a big help for this scene._

The frigid air whipped through James's light brown hair and sent shivers down his spine, but he didn't care. The fact that he was riding on a flying horse to some unknown destination was more than enough to take his mind off the cold.

Very quickly, the horse had borne him away from the city and was now swooping low over snowy fields and forests. Looking down, James was able to catch a few glimpses of the ground below. At the edge of a forest, a stag with a massive rack of antlers glanced up at them, totally unafraid. A little while later, a massive gray wolf stood atop a small cliff and howled. The sound made James's heart quiver and he wasn't surprised to hear answering howls from other unseen wolves.

_They sound like they're singing. _But before he could dwell on the idea, the winged horse gave a great flap of its wings, sending them both higher. Back on the earth, the frozen ground gave way to a dark blue ocean, crested with white foam.

The sight of the water tugged at James's heartstrings. For an instant, he wondered if the horse was taking him to his old house, but somehow, the thought didn't feel right.

"Where are we going?" he asked on a whim. Without slowing down, the horse swung its elegant head around and nuzzled James's foot. The message couldn't be any clearer: _you'll see._

Up above them, the sky was like black velvet and the numerous stars twinkled and shone like crystals in a chandelier. Meanwhile, James was beginning to spot numerous icebergs in the ocean.

_We must be heading north,_ he thought. He had learned that year in school that, below the equator, it was summer and since the air hadn't gotten warmer, there was no way the horse was taking him to the South Pole.

"Maybe," he whispered to himself, "we're going to the North Pole." Was this beautiful winged horse taking him to see Santa Claus? No, that didn't seem likely. The idea of seeing Santa after riding n the back of a winged horse sound… well, not absurd (James really didn't think anything was absurd these days), but it felt wrong. Somehow, Santa and the winter solstice didn't mix.

The horse gave a soft nicker, glancing down. James followed its gaze and saw that there was a rather large island below them. However, it was unlike any island James had ever seen. The trees, leaves and all, were as white as the snow and glittered as well. Despite the cold, there was a large froze pond in the center of it. A horse, equally as white and as beautiful as the one James was astride, was drinking from the crystalline waters. James's mount whinnied in an obvious greeting. The other horse, who lacked wings, looked up and whinnied back, giving James a perfect view of a beautiful pearly horn on it forehead.

"A unicorn," the little boy breathed in amazement. The winged horse flew lower, this time heading for a large meadow. In it, a group of young men wee dancing. James could hear their laughter and the beat of a drum, as well as the sound of their cloven goat hooves as the young fauns danced and capered in the moonlight.

James couldn't stop himself. "Hello!" he called, waving at the fauns. The fauns, without missing a step, laughed and waved back at him.

The horse gave its wings another great flap and once again, the two were soaring higher within the sky. Looking ahead, James could see a stream of light, all pinks and greens.

"Northern lights!" The horse snorted, jerking its head up and down twice, like it was nodding.

"Is that where we're going?" the little boy asked. The horse snorted again and flew faster, heading right for the lights. As the beautiful colors enveloped them, James felt his stomach lurch as the horse began to descend. For a few seconds, all James could see were the lights, but like the clearing of mist, James caught sight of their destination.

A huge ice floe, easily twice as big as New York City, stretched for miles in the frozen sea. From the ice, huge crystals spiraled upward in clusters. The crystals reflected the Northern Lights and shimmered pink, green, and white. Directly below and in front of them, a particularly large cluster formed a semicircle around the edge of the ice flow and James saw that several creatures were already present.

The winged horse straightened, landing evenly on its hooves. Kneeing down once more, the beautiful creature allowed James t slide from its back and take in the sight of the group, of which he was obviously the youngest.

Stags with antlers of crystal flickered their tails as they regarded James. Unicorns, their horns glowing under the moon, gazed at him with as much wonder as James did at them. Fauns tapped their cloven hooves on the ice and waved at the little boy while proud-looking centaurs gazed up at the shining sky in anticipation. Meanwhile, other winged horses glanced at the one who had carried James and nickered softly in greeting

_Magical creatures. They're all real. But, what are they all doing here?_ James's thoughts were halted by the sound of flapping wings. Expecting to see another winged horse, James looked up; the Northern lights seemed to glow even brighter as the flapping sound grew closer. However, it quickly became apparent that it wasn't the light that was shining, but the reflection off of several humongous crystals.

Crystals that formed a crest on the back of a neck of a massive, icy-blue dragon.


	4. Crystor

**Ch. 4: Crystor**

The massive dragon landed gracefully on the ice, folding its wings against its sides. It arched its long serpentine neck and gazed down at the assembly. James could hardly take his eyes off the magnificent creature; even though the dragon towered over him, he felt no fear, only awe.

The dragon's blue scales were the same shade of a clear winter morning and the crystals that made up its crested mane extended down its spine all the way to the end of its long tail. The folded wings were no one color; they shimmered white and silver, with speckles of blue, green, and pinks.

_His wings are the same color as the snow_. The dragon lowered its head, meeting James's brown eyes with orbs like twin moons.

"Well, hello there, little one," the dragon rumbled, his deep voice rich and soothing.

"H… hello, sir," James replied, knowing how small he sounded next to the dragon.

"You must be James," the dragon said, his huge lips curving upward.

"Yes," the little boy replied. "I.. I'm sorry, but I don't know your name."

A deep rumbling came from deep inside the dragon and steam spiraled up from his nostrils. James felt a flash of fear, thinking the dragon was growling. But the dragon's smile didn't waver and James realized that the dragon was laughing.

"I would have been surprised if you _did_ know my name, little James," the dragon said kindly. "I doubt there is a human alive today who still knows of me. I am Crystor of the North, Dragon of the Winter Solstice."

"Then, the winter solstice is magical!" James burst out in amazement.

"Oh quite so, little one. Though it is rare that a human is able to witness just how much magic is alive in the world today." Crystor paused, thinking. "I believe it's been at least ten hundred years since I last conversed with a human."

"You're ten hundred years old?" James asked. Once more, the dragon rumbled with laughter and quite a few of the other creatures joined in as well.

"It is true that those with magic in their blood live for years on end. But I, James, am immortal. I always have been and always will be."

"But how come no one has seen you? Or anyone else here?" James asked, glancing around at the various mythical creatures.

"Ah, child, that's not the way magic works," Crystor explained. "You see, belief in magic is, at first, very easy. But in order to see, hear, or experience magic, that belief must stay strong throughout the good _and_ the bad."

James fell silent. For the second time that night, his mind flashed back to his life with his aunts. He remembered how Spiker and Sponge had shrieked at him for harboring "stupid dreams" and how foolish he was for daring to believe in a better life than the one he had. And yet, something in him refused to give up, refused to stop believing. James looked back up at the dragon and saw that Crystor's eyes were filled with warmth.

"Your belief is what made it possible for that man to give you magical aid. And it was that same belief that allowed you to meet with Aarion."

"Aarion?" The winged horse who had flown James through the sky whinnied softly and James to look at him and the other horses.

"He and his brethren are the descendants of the great Pegasus," Crystor explained. "Indeed, many of the great myths of old were not myth, but, in fact, flesh and blood creatures."

James paused, then gathered up his courage and asked,

"But, if you're immortal, Crystor, then how come hardly anyone has seen you? Or even wrote a legend about you?" Inwardly, James winced. He could already spot the flaws in his question. After all, he was only seven years old; maybe there _was_ a legend about the mighty dragon and he hadn't come across it yet.

Crystor raised his head and spread his shimmering wings. A light flap sent millions of sparkling snowflakes tumbling through the air; James felt them land on his face and in his hair, like the confetti that had been thrown on the night of his and his family's arrival to New York.

"Ah, little James," Crystor said. "I was not meant to be seen by humans, hence why it has been so long since I've spoken with you. You see, I have a very special responsibility to the world." The gathered creatures murmured and nodded in agreement.

"Magic has always belonged to the realm of dreams. After all, one night's dream can inspire some one to undertake an amazing task, though I think you know that better than most, little one." James smiled and nodded, knowing what Crystor meant.

"Thus," the dragon continued, "on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, I send my snows over the world, sending all those who encounter it into a deep sleep for the night. And it is one this night that the greatest dreams are dreamt, the night the most magic touches the world. And thus, after tonight, life begins anew and with the dawning of longer days comes the dawning of a new year for mankind to achieve those dreams."

"And it's because of your snow," James concluded. "Because of you, there's still magic."

"No, child. Because of me, there are magical dreams. Because of people like you, those dreams come true. And that, James, that is magic."

Crystor gaze his wings another flap, sending down another wave of enchanted snowflakes.

"Now," he rumbled. "We are all assembled. So let us begin the celebration of the winter solstice!"


	5. Celebration

**Ch. 5: Celebration**

It was a party unlike any James had ever imagined.

As the enchanted snow from Crystor's wings enveloped the creatures surrounding the huge dragon, cheering, neighing, and stamping for joy broke out from every creature. Immediately, the fauns joined hands and began dancing merrily, their cloven hooves not in the least deterred by the snow and ice. Some of the centaurs had been clutching flutes and small drums and now they struck up a jaunty tune.

One young faun who looked to be about seventeen held out his hand to James as though the boy were his younger brother. Smiling widely, James took the offered palm and was soon dancing as best he could with the fauns. Because he lacked goat hooves, his movements came off as slightly clumsy, but the fauns didn't seem to mind in the slightest. Like James, they were focused on having fun.

Meanwhile, the unicorns and winged horses galloped and pranced with each other. They too seemed to dance, rearing up and braying at the moon like they were laughing. And they weren't the only ones; every single participant in the celebration was wearing a smile and pure joy bubbled out from every pair of lips.

Even the ocean itself seemed to be enjoying the magical night. The waves pounded and crashed in a rhythm that mirrored the numerous hooves pounding on the ice floe. Before James's very eyes, a small white seal suddenly burst from the dark water, somersaulted in midair, and dove back under the waves. A short time after, a huge blue whale poked its head into the air, expelling a stream of cold mist from its blowhole.

"All the animals are celebrating tonight," the faun explained to James. "Most people just aren't awake to see it."

"I heard wolves howling when Arrion was flying me here," James replied, panting a bit from all the dancing. "They sounded like they were singing."

"They were," the faun said. "They and countless other creatures are raising their voices tonight."

After a bit, the dancers stopped to take a breath and to accept large mugs of some steaming drink that older fauns and centaurs had prepared. One grandmotherly centaur handed James a warm mug, saying,

"Enjoy that, my dear. I doubt you'll have tasted anything like it before."

James raised the mug to his lips and felt a hot creamy rush go down his throat. The taste, though unfamiliar, was the perfect mix of sweet and refreshing.

"Good, isn't it?" the centaur asked.

"Its great!" the boy replied. "What is it?"

"Hot moon berry juice. Those berries only grow here on Crystor's ice floe. You're the first human to ever taste them."

The hot drink made James feel as though he were enveloped in a heated blanket. Slightly overwhelmed by all the excitement and the sudden rush of warmth, he glanced around for a place to sit down.

"Come, child."

Crystor lowered his head and extended his front leg. James perched on the top of the dragon's mighty forelimb, leaning against the crystalline upper leg. Unlike him, everyone else was still going strong; in fact, the moon berry juice seemed to have given them even more energy.

"Did you enjoy your time here, James?" Crystor asked.

"I loved it," James replied, feeling eyes close slightly.

"I had a feeling you would. And I also have a feeling that you and I will meet again someday."

"Next year?"

"Maybe. Maybe not until many years into the future. But I do know that, no matter how much time passes, you will never forget what you have witnessed here tonight."

"Oh, I won't. I'll always remember you and Arrion, and everyone else," James vowed. The dragon chuckled.

"I have no doubt of that, little one. But I'd also like to give you a token of remembrance."

Reaching up with his other front leg, Crystor felt along his crest and grasped at one of the smaller crystals. Without flinching, he plucked it away and carefully handed it to James. The sparkling stone was just a tad larger than James's hand and he grasped it eagerly, relishing the smooth feel.

"Thank you, Crystor," he said, amazed that the dragon would honor him with such a gift. The dragon raised his glittering wings and flapped them slightly. A small shower of sow drifted down onto James' face and the little boy was unable to keep his voice from falling shut. Before he succumbed to sleep, James heard Crystor's voice whispering,

"Dream now, James Henry Trotter. Dream of what you saw tonight and hold it in your heart forever. You are a truly special child and it will be you who works magic on the world one day. Farewell."

James slept. And he dreamed.


	6. Remembrance

**Ch. 6: Remembrance  
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_Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap. _The fauns were still dancing, their cloven hooves beating a tattoo on the ice.

_Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap. _But why did he feel so warm?

_Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap._

Rubbing at his eyes, James sat up to find himself sitting in his own bed. The walls of his bedroom appeared gray in the early morning light and the window revealed the source of the noise: a steady downpour of rain that was no doubt turning the pure white snow to muddy slush.

James turned his head to regard the small clock on his bedside table According to the clock, it was just past 7A.M; already, he knew that most of his family members would be off to their respective jobs. James himself would normally wake up for school at this time, but as he was on vacation, it seemed that he and whoever was off today would remain inside today.

Today. Today was December 22nd, the day after the winter solstice. Pushing aside his blankets, James got out of bed and walked over to the window, staring out at the dismal day. Looking down at the dirty remains of snow, it was hard to believe that it had looked so magical the night before.

Hard to believe that it had come from a dragon's wings.

Or had it? Ever since he could remember, James had always been a vivid dreamer (something both his parents and his adopted family found extremely endearing); had the events of last night been just another nighttime adventure?

"Was it real?" James whispered to himself. Admittedly, the whole experience had already taken on the fuzzy, far-away feeling that dreams acquire not long after waking, but James wasn't so sure. He could still recall the feeling of flying over a snowy landscape with Arrion, the excitement of dancing with the happy fauns and the sheer awe he felt whenever he remembered Crystor.

Where were they all now? James wondered as he tore himself away from the window and commenced to making his bed. Where were the fauns and centaurs and winged horses? Where were the unicorns and crystal-antlered stags? Had he really been the only human visitor to that ice floe? The only person in thousands of years to see the great blue dragon?

Still uncertain, James finished making his bed and began dressing, pulling on his warmest clothes. Already, he could tell it would be cold outside.

Reaching for his robe, James was about to put it back into his closet when something inside it clunked against his leg.

Heart beginning to beat a little faster, James reached into the pocket of his robe and his fingers touched something cool and smooth. Drawing his hand out, James withdrew a crystal, the same crystal Crystor had presented to him only last night.

A wave of amazement washed over the small boy as three words echoed over and over again in his mind.

_It was real. It was real. It was real._

Clutching the sparkling stone, James felt a shudder of amazement run through him. Glancing back at his window, James knew that somewhere out in the stormy sea, a great dragon was waiting for the next winter solstice when he could send his crystal snow out over the world again, knowing that there were more minds and hearts waiting to be filled with dreams.

But for now, James thought with a small smile, as he placed the crystal on his bedside table. Now there was a whole year ahead of him and his friends and family. A whole year in which to make the dream they'd had on that night of magic come true.

"James?" James turned to see Miss Spider in his doorway smiling at him. Returning the smile, he walked over to her.

"I thought I heard you waking up early," she told him. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he replied. Miss Spider nodded, reaching out to brush some of his hair from his forehead.

"That is good to hear." She too glanced at the window, out at the cold and rain. "Why don't I make hot chocolate with breakfast today? Would you like that?"

"Yes, please."

"Come one, then."

Following his friend downstairs, James was sure of one thing While he didn't know if he would see Crystor again, of one thing, he was certain: every winter solstice, he would remember what he had been fortunate enough to see.

And that dreams were only the gateway to true magic.

_~Fin_


End file.
